Vanity Items?

issling

Could this be the problem with a cash shop? Now I do know many of you don't have a problem with this new trend of F2P and a cash shop model so it is not my intent to bash those that like them. 

Now this is what I was thinking of  vanity items or what some of us older gamers would call unique items. It kills any immersion I feel for the game when I see people running around with all these diffrent types of pets and mount's that where bought from the cash shop. 

Now in the old days when you saw someone with a really cool pet or mount you would think to yourself or I would, that maybe this person had been on some fun adventure. And maybe just maybe I would at some point be able to experience that adventure.

I would have no problem with a cast shop if they only sold bags, bars, and any utility items, I guess and that would  at least something I could settle for.  But I think something as silly as selling a mount or a pet in the cast shop is having more of an effect then people realise.

What are your thoughts?

Psychow

My personal preference is "if you can't earn it in-game...it shouldn't be in-game". But I'm betting my preference isn't the majority.

Aeolyn

Originally posted by Psychow
My personal preference is "if you can't earn it in-game...it shouldn't be in-game". But I'm betting my preference isn't the majority.

That's my view too, but then I'm definitely a sub supporter and believe that cash shops do not belong in them at all beyond the ability to purchase and dl true expansions(not xpacks like LoTRO) in which you are able to earn the new stuff ingame.

BeansnBread

If P2P -> No Store

If B2P -> Vanity Only - In game currency for shop currency preferred.

If F2P -> Anything goes that isn't P2W. In shop currency for play time or in game gold preferred.

Dexter2010

Originally posted by Aeolyn

Originally posted by Psychow
My personal preference is "if you can't earn it in-game...it shouldn't be in-game". But I'm betting my preference isn't the majority.

That's my view too, but then I'm definitely a sub supporter and believe that cash shops do not belong in them at all beyond the ability to purchase and dl true expansions(not xpacks like LoTRO) in which you are able to earn the new stuff ingame.

I agree with both remarks. Also, I would not play any game where you need to pay for inventory bags with real money. The F2P game is not worth considering if the company's attitude is "we'll make your experience so hellish, you'll have to pay for bags and action bars".

BahamutKaiser

Personally, I feel retail sale and subscription are a more legitimate way to fund a game. Yet I feel the cost that many MMOs try to run away with is too high to. I can respect a microtransaction sales model so long as the sales featured are respectable to the player, and not determental to the environment of the game.

In a competition game like shooters or MOBAs, its more reasonable to have odd appearances which don't really fit the genre. Your playing the same stuff over and over and its no big deal if you pick up a fanciful appearance or mount, or hat. In a high end MMO, having unusual features which don't fit the genre are a bit distracting. As for the disappointment of desired objects being sold rather than sought... Well I can understand that, but if your in the game for free, I respect the developers perogative to sell stuff you'd want. I do however dislike when they try to gouge you for desired product with ridiculous costs, gimmicky gambled boxes, or just make the game unenjoyable without purchased product.

Microtransaction can be done in a healthy manner its just a matter of figuring out how and what to sell which is appealing yet not subtracting from the game. The other big thing is selling things at a bargain. A successful game can get innumerable sales on digital merchandise which is very easy to distribute, they should not be selling it for as much as they can possible swindle you for. Instead, they should focus on giving players a bargain they are glad to accept. This kind of selling relying of volume of sales and multitude of desireable merchandise is better than trying to scrap out as much as possible for each item. It's easier to sell 100 mounts for $1 a piece rather than try to get several players to buy 10 mounts for $10. Humans love value and cheap product allows players with any price range to get into buying and naturally start spending more because they have started. It makes no sense to give the world away for free and charge a fortune for digital additions.